New Vietnam P.M. Promises Action

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30587, 2 November 1964, Page 13

New Vietnam P.M. Promises Action

(N.Z JP. A.-Reuter—Copyright) SAIGON, November 1. Saigon’s “bicycling Mayor,” Mr Tran van Huong, was yesterday officially appointed Prime Minister after receiving a vote of endorsement from the High National Council.

His nomination —to replace Major-General Nguyn Khanh, who has resigned to make way for a civilian Government—was announced earlier in the week.

The official appointment came last night after Mr Huong had presented his draft programme of action. Huong promises to crack down on the “degradation” of Vietnamese youth, clean up the whole Government, and revitalise the nation in a total war on Communism.

In his first public speech Huong outlined the programme he planned to follow as soon as he had been confirmed by the High National Council as Vietnam’s supreme governing official. Calling for discipline, sac-

rifice and austerity from the nation, the 61-year-old leader said national morale must be re-established especially among young people. “Our youth has been driven to terrible degradation,” he said, “and we ought to put an end to this. The Government will not hesitate to take the necessary measures, however strong they may be, in order to make young men realise their responsibility in taking part in the general struggle against neutralists and Communists.” Huong promised to smash the nation’s thriving black market and halt injustices by local officials. In the field of religion, Huong said religion and politics must be totally separated, and said he planned to create a directorate-general of religions to help eliminate abuses arising from the mixing of politics in religion. Concerning the war, Huong said: “To defeat the Communists and bring welfare to the people, we . . . square our shoulders with the armed forces to achieve victory. We must improve and clean up Government machinery, simplifying administrative procedure and cleaning up red tape, giving local officials enough power to solve emergency problems.”